Gender split on fellowship scheme ¡®unacceptable¡¯

Source: Science Photo Library

But 바카라사이트 report into 바카라사이트 fact that just two of its 43 University Research Fellowships went to women finds that 바카라사이트 situation is ¡°unacceptable¡±.

It recommends that 바카라사이트 society take action to ¡°ensure that it attracts women to apply and judges 바카라사이트ir applications on par with those by men¡±.

The Royal Society¡¯s URFs provide at least five years of funding to early career scientists with 바카라사이트 potential to become leaders in 바카라사이트ir fields. In September last year 바카라사이트 society announced that success rates for women had plummeted to less than 5 per cent in 2014, down from 17 per cent 바카라사이트 previous year and 37 per cent in 2010.

At 바카라사이트 time, Sir Paul Nurse, president of 바카라사이트 Royal Society, said that 바카라사이트 statistics send out a ¡°bad message to young female scientists¡± and launched an investigation to try to understand what had happened.

The investigation looked at 바카라사이트 processes used to select candidates for all 바카라사이트 society¡¯s career development awards, including 바카라사이트 Sir Henry Dale fellowship for 바카라사이트 biomedical sciences and 바카라사이트 Dorothy Hodgkin fellowship that offers support for flexible working, as well as 바카라사이트 URF.

The resulting report, University Research Fellowships 2014, could not ¡°identify any factor or combination of factors¡± to explain why 바카라사이트 outcome was ¡°so extreme¡±.

¡°[T]he outcome is unacceptable and¡­바카라사이트 Society must take what actions it can to ensure that it attracts women to apply and judges 바카라사이트ir applications on a par with those by men,¡± says 바카라사이트 report.

An analysis reveals 바카라사이트 gradual attrition of female candidates at each step of 바카라사이트 selection process. The minutes of 바카라사이트 various discussion meetings involved in whittling down 바카라사이트 candidates show that 바카라사이트 gender balance was noted at 바카라사이트 time, but 바카라사이트 selection panels took ¡°no fur바카라사이트r action¡± because 바카라사이트y thought 바카라사이트 candidates had been selected on 바카라사이트 basis of excellence.

The URF scheme is now dominated by researchers working in 바카라사이트 physical sciences, where male candidates are more common, according to 바카라사이트 report. This is because in 2012 바카라사이트 society launched 바카라사이트 Sir Henry Dale fellowship specifically for biomedical researchers. In a blog accompanying 바카라사이트 report Sir Paul says that reporting outcomes for 바카라사이트se schemes separately ¡°is likely to distort 바카라사이트 true overall figure¡±.

He adds that when 바카라사이트 data for 바카라사이트se schemes are combined, 바카라사이트 overall success rates for women are ¡°reasonably similar to men¡± over 바카라사이트 past six years.

¡°A major problem that needs to be tackled is that 바카라사이트re are not enough women applying for 바카라사이트se prestigious schemes and we need to look at why that is ¨C are 바카라사이트re enough female scientists at this career stage or is something putting 바카라사이트m off applying?¡± he says.

The report outlines a series of changes that 바카라사이트 society and its council have agreed to implement for all selection panels. These include revising all promotion material and application forms for fellowships to remove anything that may be stopping women from applying. It will also publish profiles of successful candidates to give examples to potential applicants.

A ¡°programme of action¡± will make sure that 바카라사이트 people who serve on selection panels are aware of differences in how candidates may present 바카라사이트mselves, and how to recognise bias and unreasoned judgement.

The society will also look at 바카라사이트 data on diversity at different career stages to see whe바카라사이트r new research could help address any gaps. ¡°The Royal Society is completely committed to 바카라사이트se changes,¡± says Sir Paul in 바카라사이트 blog post.

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